November ballot deadline arrives across NW Ohio

Dozens of candidates for local governments, school districts, and public agencies across northwest Ohio met yesterday's filing deadline to make the Nov. 4 general election ballot.

Throughout the area, voters will be asked this fall to decide on matters ranging from local school board seats to township and mayoral posts. Some residents also will vote on school levies and other issues, including Sunday liquor sales and charter amendments.

In Lucas County, a prominent measure on the ballot will be the 6.5-mill operating levy requested by the Toledo Public School District. Voters rejected the measure in a special election earlier this month, and district officials have said major cuts will be made if the renewal measure is not passed in November.

The current levy expires at the end of the year.

Also on the ballot is a new 1-mill levy request by the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library, which has suffered a cut in its state subsidy and has reduced its services and hours, and 4.75 mills requested by the Washington Local Police Department.

Four people are running for two seats on the Toledo school board, but incumbent Springfield Township Trustee Susan Meek did not file to run for another term. Andrew Glenn is the only candidate to file for her seat. In all, 78 people in Lucas County met yesterday's deadline for filing for the township, village, and school board offices.

Many other candidates running for city offices in Toledo, Oregon, Maumee, and Sylvania filed their petitions earlier to appear on the November ballot.

One of the most far-reaching elections will involve voters in 16 northwest Ohio school districts who are serviced by the Penta Career Center, a vocational high school. Those voters, who live in school districts in Lucas, Sandusky, Fulton, Ottawa, Henry, and Hancock counties, will be asked to approve a 1-mill permanent improvement levy that will fund a new school building.

The continuing levy would raise $5.1 million a year, and would cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $26 annually.

Similarly, residents who are serviced by the Ehove Career Center, located in Erie County, will be asked to approve an 18-year bond issue that would raise $15 million for construction and renovation of buildings.

Other major school elections, some of which have yet to be certified by their respective election boards, include:

Shawnee Local School District, which is asking for an emergency 5.7-mill operating levy that would run for five years and raise $2.3 million each year.

Cory-Rawson Local School District, which is seeking a 0.75 percent income tax that would run five years for current expenses, and will ask voters to renew a 1.7-mill levy that would run five years for permanent improvements.

McComb Local School District, which wants voters to approve a 0.50 percent additional income tax for a five-year period, to pay for current expenses.

Evergreen Local School District, which is seeking a 0.5 percent, three-year income tax that would raise an estimated $600,000 a year.

Pike-Delta-York Local School District, which is asking voters for the third time to approve a five-year, 4.5-mill emergency levy.

Monroeville Local School District, which will ask voters for a 28-year, 8.6-mill bond issue for construction and renovation of school buildings.